


The Errand

by ellbie



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Flirting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:29:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22410319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellbie/pseuds/ellbie
Summary: The Doctor pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled loudly. “I left you alone for twenty minutes."Another post-EoT AU in which the Doctor and the Master have been traveling together. Oh, the hijinks.
Relationships: Tenth Doctor/The Master (Simm), The Doctor/The Master (Doctor Who)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 106
Collections: Flash Fic Friday





	The Errand

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: “Your majesty, the invaders have breached the castle walls — you must flee!”
> 
> Source: https://sidestuiff.tumblr.com/post/92531136199/royalty-au-sentence-starters

“Your majesty, the invaders have breached the castle walls — you must flee!”

The Chamberlain of the Royal Court grabbed at the sleeve of his king’s grand robes and attempted to tug him out of the room.

“‘Your majesty,’ huh?” the Doctor said with a frown. Having just been admitted into the castle upon finding the TARDIS abandoned outside, he wasn’t in a joking mood.

The Master snatched his arm away from the steward and drew himself up from the gilded throne where he’d been sitting. “What can I say? I got bored.” He reached up with two hands and lifted a hefty golden crown from his head. Otherworldly gemstones flashed blood-red in the midday light of the planet’s three suns as he tossed the headpiece to the floor.

“M-my king?” the chamberlain squeaked as he watched the crown clatter against the stone before it rolled to a stop at his feet.

The Doctor pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled loudly. “I left you alone for _twenty_ minutes. I mean…” With arms spread wide to indicate the absurdity of the scene, he punctuated his frustration with another desperate huff. "You couldn’t _possibly_ have been so bored that you decided to take over an entire civilization in _twenty_ minutes.”

The Master flashed a grin. “Oh, Doctor, you flatter me!” He shrugged the heavy robes from his shoulders and watched as the black velvet tumbled to the floor and pooled at his feet before stepping delicately over the pile. “I didn’t take over the _entire_ civilization. Just one little kingdom.” He grimaced as screams echoed from down the hallway. “Apparently this one’s at war.”

“Yes, they’re at war _now_. They were existing peacefully when we landed. What did you do? And how did you get out of the TARDIS?!”

The Master shrugged and continued toward the massive castle doors. The Doctor’s slack-jawed stare followed him for a moment before he turned back to the chamberlain. 

“I’m very sorry, there seems to be a... Erh...” There really wasn’t any good way to explain this, so why bother trying? He changed tack. “Anything I can do to help smooth things over?”

The chamberlain picked up the crown and peered down at it, brow furrowed and mouth hanging open. He blinked up at the Doctor with a thousand questions swimming through his eyes, but before he could say anything, they both jolted at a sudden, booming noise. The low rumble of an explosion in the distance shook the walls and sent a stream of dust down from the domed ceiling.

The Master reached the door right as two puzzled guards finished pulling it open for him. The Doctor’s gaze flicked back and forth between the other Time Lord and the fretting chamberlain. 

“Right,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Master, go back to the TARDIS. _Please._ And you,” — he gestured at the chamberlain — “whatever-your-name-is, the invaders sent a messenger on ahead, yeah? Or a representative? Someone? Just take me to that person.”

The chamberlain bowed his head to the Doctor and extended his hand toward another door. “This way, my lord, if you please.”

“Just ‘Doctor’ is fine,” the Doctor grumbled as the chamberlain led him away. He glared after the Master once more before he left the main hall.

* * *

Back on the TARDIS, the Doctor found the Master in the kitchen, pulling dishes out of the cabinets and casually dropping them one-by-one onto the floor.

“Got it all sorted, then?” he asked as he hooked a finger over the lip of a mug. With a quick tug, it joined its broken companions.

“No thanks to you,” the Doctor responded, wincing as the mug shattered. “I had to point to the robes and crown you left behind and convince the invaders you were disintegrated during the attack.”

The Master grinned wickedly. “Very clever of you, Doctor.” 

The Doctor’s withering look did nothing to sour his mood.

“Oh, you can’t possibly blame me,” he mocked, hand landing theatrically on his chest. “I told you, I was bored. Remember that the next time you want to abandon me for so long.”

“ _Twenty minutes—_ ”

“Either way,” the Master said, ignoring the interruption, “it was hardly my fault their primitive mental faculties were so receptive to mind control.”

A cream-colored saucer with small blue flowers was next to fall to its doom.

Sighing, the Doctor stepped over the pile of broken ceramic and pulled a chair out from the table. “If I had to guess,” he said as he sat down, a small smile finally cracking through the melancholy on his face, “I’d say you missed me.” 

The Master scoffed. “Please.” He slammed the cabinet shut and made to leave.

“I promise I'll phone next time I’m running late,” the Doctor called after him.

“Enough!” the Master shouted over his shoulder as he marched out of the kitchen. 

“Sorry I kept you waiting!” And then, in a moment of bravery, he added a very sincere “ _dear!”_

The only response was an annoyed groan and a slamming door as the Master locked himself in his bedroom. The Doctor smiled to himself and patted the wall behind him, making the TARDIS hum happily.

“Maybe we’ll try for ten minutes next time, eh?”


End file.
